The invention relates to a transmission device, especially a 3-shaft transmission device for motor vehicles, a gear actuator, an axial/radial bearing unit, and a process for manufacturing a motor vehicle transmission device.
Motor vehicle transmission devices are known in various designs. Starting from conventional manual transmissions, for example, automated manual transmissions (AMT) have been produced, in which shifting processes are electronically controlled and initiated. In addition, transmissions have become known that have drive train branches connected in parallel, e.g., double clutch transmission (DCT) and parallel manual transmission (PMT). More modern motor vehicle transmission devices of the last type named are usually also electronically controlled.
In addition, various actuating devices for transmissions have become known. An example of a known actuating device is explained in DE 103 16 434 A1. The actuating device explained there is electromechanically designed and has a shifting motor for creating shifting movements and a selecting motor for creating selecting movements.
In motor vehicle transmission devices, frequently a differentiation is made between the internal transmission with its internal gear shift and an external gear shift that is also called an actuator—especially with designs that have outside power support and are designed with electric motors.
The internal transmission with its internal gear shift generally has the components forming the different ratios, like gear wheels and components that can be coupled with these gear wheels, like shafts. In this case, generally gear couplings or devices with the same or similar functions are provided by means of which couplings are produced for engaging gears and can be released for disengaging gears. This can be such that e.g., by means of such a gear coupling, a torsion connection can be created and released between a gear wheel of a gear set forming one gear and a shaft holding this gear wheel. The internal gear shift extends from these gear couplings to the interface to the external gear shift. This usually has several mechanisms that each extend from a gear coupling in the direction of the external gear shift. Various designs are known in which, for power transmission from the external gear shift to the internal gear shift, these mechanisms have a shift jaw or the like, which are housed e.g., in a shift rail or shifting fork. The external gear shift frequently has one or more parts, like shift fingers that can engage on these shift jaws to actuate them. This is frequently produced in such a way that such a shift finger or the like can be moved into a position for selection from which it can then be moved in a further movement that generally deviates from the selecting movement direction with respect to its direction for shifting.
It is also known that during gear changing processes in classically designed stepped motor vehicle transmission devices—starting from the old gear, the following three steps take place in time sequence: “disengaging the old gear”—“selection”—“engaging the target gear.” In addition, motor vehicle transmission designs have become known in which the selecting movements can take place before the old gear is disengaged. In such designs it is provided, for example, that a main actuating element or shift finger is essentially responsible only for the engagement of gears and additional geometries take over the function of disengaging gears. In this case, especially so-called auxiliary actuating elements are used for the disengaging function. It is also known that the additional geometries, on one hand, are located e.g., on a central gearshift shaft and on the other, on shift jaws that are provided on the named mechanisms and final output mechanisms and shift forks or shift rails, etc.
The disengaging geometries generally work in gates, in which the shift finger is not active. In this case, it can be provided that a fixed allocation between shift finger and disengagement geometry simultaneously represent an active gear lock. Design implementations of this solution are thus also designated as “active interlock.”
In such an “active interlock,” it is generally provided that the main actuating element or shift finger can be moved back without disengaging the gear, even with a gear engaged in a neutral position. The selecting movement is thereby possible before the gear is disengaged.
Examples of these types of designs are explained, e.g., in DE 102 06 561 A1 by the applicant.
In addition, so-called 3-shaft transmission devices are known, as well as the use of such transmission devices in motor vehicles. In them, a transmission input shaft turned toward the combustion engine is provided, as well as two main shafts that are connected in parallel, which—from the point of view of the combustion engine—are each arranged on the driven side of the drive shaft. These main shafts are sometimes also called output shafts or driven shafts in the state of the art. In this case, there can also be a transmission output shaft and driven shaft that is different from the two main shafts named and that—from the point of view of the combustion engine—is arranged on the driven side of the two main shafts. This transmission output shaft or driven shaft is frequently a differential or has a differential. Between this transmission output shaft or drive shaft and each of the main shafts, two sets of wheels are provided to form gears. From these main shafts and the respective shaft with which a gear is engaged, the torque is transferred in the direction of the differential. It is also known that such 3-shaft transmissions can be a component of double coupling transmissions (DCT) or parallel manual transmissions (PMT). In this case, it is provided that each of the two partial transmissions connected in parallel is designed in the manner of a 3-shaft transmission. This can be, for example, such that separate drive shafts and transmission input shafts are assigned to these two partial transmissions and the two partial transmissions share the two main shafts and thus also the driven shaft that may be present.
FIG. 1 shows an example 3-shaft transmission in schematic view that is known to the applicant—but possibly only in-house. 3-shaft transmission 400 has drive shaft 410, two main shafts, namely first main shaft 412 and second main shaft 414 and driven shaft 416.
First main shaft 412 and second main shaft 414 are arranged in the torque flow between drive shaft 410 and driven shaft 416—as long as the torque flow is transferred over the appropriate shaft. Driven shaft 416 is a differential or has a differential.
Several wheel sets 418, 420, 422 and 424 are provided for forming shafts. By means of wheel sets 418, 420, 422 and 424 each allow a torque to be transferred from drive shaft 410 to driven shaft 416—as long as an appropriate gear is engaged.
A part (wheel sets 418 and 420) of wheel sets 418, 420, 422 and 424 is arranged between drive shaft 410 and first main shaft 412 so that—as long as an appropriate gear is engaged—a torque can be transferred over first main shaft 412 by way of respective wheel set 418 and 420 between drive shaft 410 and driven shaft 416.
Another part (wheel sets 422 and 424) of wheel sets 418, 420, 422 and 424 is arranged between drive shaft 410 and second main shaft 414 so that—as long as a corresponding gear is engaged—a torque can be transferred from drive shaft 410 to driven shaft 416 by way of second main shaft 414 by way of respective wheel set 422 and 424.
For the engagement and disengagement of gears, gear couplings and sliding sleeves that are not shown in more detail are provided, by means of which the wheels and gear wheels that are assigned to wheel sets 418 and 420 and are held by first main shaft 412, can be coupled with first main shaft 412 for engagement of respective gears so that the corresponding gears are arranged so that they move in rotation with respect to first main shaft 412.
In a corresponding way, gear couplings and sliding sleeves are provided for the engagement and disengagement of gears (not shown in more detail) that are different from the ones mentioned above and by means of which the wheels and gear wheels that are assigned to wheel sets 422 and 424 and are held by second main shaft 414 can be coupled with second main shaft 414 so that they rotate with it for engagement of the respective gears and for disengaging the respective gears, can be uncoupled from second main shaft 414 so that the corresponding gear wheel is arranged so that it turns in rotation with respect to second main shaft 414.
In addition, internal gear shift 426 is provided, by means of which the gears can be engaged and disengaged. The previously discussed gear couplings are at least partially components of internal gear shift 426. In particular, sliding selves that are a component of the gear couplings are a component of internal gear shift 426.
Internal gear shift 426 also has a number of shift rails 428, 430, 432 and 434, that are especially a component of the end output mechanisms, which form internal gear shift 426.
In the design according to FIG. 1, this is such that two shift rails 428 and 430 and shift rail pair 436 are provided for engagement and disengagement of gears, which are assigned to first main shaft 412, and two shift rails 432 and 434 and shift rail pair 440 are provided for engagement and disengagement of gears, which are assigned to second main shaft 414.
In this case, it is especially provided that shift rail 428 is a component of an end output mechanism and shift rail 430 is a component of an end output mechanism different from this, wherein these end output mechanisms are each components of internal gear shift 426. In addition, it is especially provided that shift rail 432 is a component of an end output mechanism and shift rail 434 is a component of an end output mechanism that is different from it, wherein these end output mechanisms in turn are each components of internal gear shift 426, and wherein these two end output mechanisms are different from the two previously discussed.
In addition, gear actuator system 442 is provided, by means of which internal gear shift 426 and its shift rails 428, 430, 432 and 434 can be actuated to engage and disengage gears.
In the transmission construction according to FIG. 1, it is advantageous and necessary that in each case shift rail pair 436 is assigned to first main shaft 412 and shift rail pair 440 is assigned to second main shaft 414. Because of the position of drive shaft 410 between two main shafts 412 and 414, the positions of shift rail pairs 436 and 440 have a minimum distance from each other.
As already discussed, FIG. 1 shows a possible design of gear actuators 442—previously known at least to the applicant—that can be used for this construction type.
Gear actuators 442 essentially consist of actuator housing 444 including two motors 446 and 448, of which one is a selecting motor and one a shifting motor with shifting and selecting kinematics. In addition, gearshift shaft 450 is a component of gear actuator system 442. Gearshift shaft 450 has actuating elements 452 and 454 according to the known state of the art for an “active interlock.”
It can be seen from FIG. 1 in the design shown there of gear actuator 442, that actuator housing 444 is provided. In addition, 3-shaft transmission 400 according to FIG. 1 has transmission housing 488 that is partially shown there. Actuator housing 444 is arranged outside transmission housing 488 and is an extension of gearshift shaft 450.
Also known to the applicant—but possibly only in-house—is an axial/radial bearing unit for mounting a rotary part, which can be used, e.g., in the design explained using FIG. 1 for holding the spindle. This axial/radial bearing unit has three thrust washers as well as two axial needle bearings. The three thrust washers are arranged axially next to each other, wherein one of the two axial needle bearings is positioned between each two axially adjacent thrust washers. The axially center thrust washer is tightly coupled with the part that rotates and the two axially outer thrust washers are each tightly coupled with a fixed environment opposite to which the part that rotates will be arranged, or vice versa. In one orientation of the axial direction, the axial support occurs by way of the center one as well as one of the two axially outer thrust washers and the one axial bearing arranged between these two thrust washers; in the other, opposite orientation of the axial direction, the axial support occurs by way of the center one and the others of the two axially outer thrust washers, as well as the other axial bearing arranged between these two thrust washers.